Yorkshire man who subjected teen girl to campaign of sexual, physical and mental abuse is jailed

Between 2017 and 2021 Ben Tate, 21, of St Wilfrids Avenue, Harehills, subjected a teen girl and a second victim to sexual abuse and rape.

Both victims were spoken to by specialist officers from Leeds District Safeguarding Unit and provided detailed video recorded interviews detailing Tate’s offending against them. 

Each disclosed how he had attacked them while they slept and had sex with them without their consent. 

The first victim also described how Tate would pin her down, assault her and strangle her while ignoring her pleas for him to stop. 

He repeatedly manipulated her, making threats to kill himself and took advantage of her financially. 

The first victim initially told a social worker about the abuse in 2020. Police were notified but she did not feel able to support a prosecution at the time. 

When the second victim contacted police in 2022 to report being raped by Tate in 2021, the first victim also agreed to support a prosecution. 

Officers gathered extensive statements from the victims’ friends and family, as well as obtaining digital evidence of the messages Tate had sent to the victims.

Tate was convicted following a trial at Leeds Crown Court, where the victims were able to give their evidence under special measures, which allowed their cross examinations to be pre-recorded.

Tate was given a 19-year sentence and will be on the sex offenders register for life. Both victims were also granted life-long restraining orders against him. 

Detective Inspector Kelly Brown, of Leeds District Safeguarding Unit, said: “Tate’s offending against two separate victims in the same way is a worrying pattern of behaviour that shows he is a danger to women. 

“His actions have had a significant traumatic impact on the victims who have bravely spoken out. We hope that seeing him now brought to justice will help and reassure them as they move on with their lives. 

“The lengthy sentence he has received should clearly illustrate how seriously the courts will treat violence against women and girls, and we hope it will help to give other victims of similar abuse the confidence to come forward knowing they will be listened to and supported. 

“We will always treat offences of this nature very seriously and do everything we can to support victims and secure convictions against offenders like Tate to protect others from harm.”